Know your rival: Q&A with a CSKA fan

UEFA Champions League returns, Real Madrid face CSKA Moscow after the 4-0 win over Racing Santander. To learn about CSKA we invited Sergei Epihin to have a Q&A with us. Sergei is a student from Moscow who’s been supporting CSKA all his life, just like his father and grandfather.

How did you feel at the time when the results to the draw came out?

- It may seem strange, but I was happy. It’s not every day that you get a chance to see your favorite club compete with one of the best clubs in the world. CSKA are anxious for great victories, the path to which is through the games with such opponents as Real Madrid. It is a priceless experience for the team, you can’t get it in games against such teams as APOEL.

How would you describe the current form of CSKA Moskva?

- It’s quite a difficult question, no one may know the answer now, You have to understand that in fact the season for CSKA is only beginning now while Madrid’s season is in full swing, so it’s difficult to speculate on the physical form of our players. It should be mentioned that in the mid-season three new players joined CSKA, who still need to find their game. There are also ‘losses’ in the squad, Brazilian Vágner Love, who had spent almost 7 years in Russia and had been very important both on the pitch and in the locker room, left the club. Honda, Necid and Gonzalez have just recovered from injuries, Seydou Doumbia, the main scorer, is also missing due to the African Cup. As you can see the coaching staff has enough troubles, but I am sure the team will be ready to meet the challenge at their first official game of the season.

Looking at the supreme form of Real Madrid in the UCL this season, what do you think about your team’s chances?

- This is football; until the moment the referee blows the whistle to start the game, chances are 50/50. CSKA have played against Spanish clubs before ; win over Sevilla last year and fabulous 2-3 win at the Camp Nou in 1992. So what’s the reason of going to the stadium if you don’t believe your team may win?

How do you think CSKA will line-up (i.e. the starting XI) and tactically how would they play?

- Keeping in mind that Champions League play-off stage consists of 2 games, I wouldn’t hope for many goals at the first game. It’s suicidal to play head-on football against Real, so CSKA will try to counter-attack and to pressurize tightly in midfield, not allowing Madrid to start their attack. The weather will also be important. It’s – 20 in Moscow, I don’t think Real players are used to it.

My starting line-up:

GK: Chepchugov

Defense: A. Berezutsky, V. Berezutsky, Iganshevich, Shennikov

Midfield: Honda, Aldonin, Wernbloom, Dzagoev

Forwards: Musa, Doumbia

Leaving tactics aside, as a football romantic, how would you like CSKA to play?

- Similar to the other blue and red team. I want our guys to enjoy the game. The team won’t be under pressure because of the result, even if they lose 3-0 no one will blame them. What I want to see on the pitch is passion and desire to fight till the end whoever is your opponent.

The round of 16 has generally been one of the biggest stumbling blocks to Real Madrid. Psychologically, do you think CSKA has any edge over Madrid?

- No, I think it’s not the case. Today’s Madrid is a highly motivated team where there are outstanding players led by one of the most successful coaches of our time. Watching Real Madrid games this season, I was astonished by how they won games losing the first HT 0-1 or 0-2 and it didn’t look like great effort, but Madrid was confident and knew how to get what they wanted. Even Barcelona winning 0-2 at home at the last Clasico were close to losing. Such spirit of Madrid is fascinating.

For our followers who may not be aware, any particular players that you’d like to single out as danger men for Real Madrid?

- It’ll be a mistake if Real underestimate CSKA. Our team has young and talented players, many of which could strengthen any top European club. Here the main goalscorer should be mentioned, Seydou Doumbia, he has scored 5 goals in the CL and 24 goals in RPL. Another player I would pick out is Alan Dzagoev, who has already made it to the Russian NT and is capable of many things on the pitch. If he finds his game, it’ll be very difficult to stop him. I think you can ask Sevilla who Keisuke Honda is, his free kicks are not less dangerous than that of Cristiano’s.